Sokcho sundubu restaurant for your first trip meal: Jinsol Halmeoni

I wanted to start my Sokcho trip with a clean, simple meal, so I went to Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu (진솔할머니순두부), a well-known sundubu (soft tofu stew) spot in Sokcho. I visited on a weekday during lunch and got in with no wait at all — a great spot for a hearty meal.

Parking and the weekday lunch wait at Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu

Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu has a large parking lot right in front, with staff on hand to guide you, so parking was easy. I went on a weekday for lunch and thankfully there was no wait.

Since a lot of Sokcho travelers come here, I'd expect a wait on weekends or during peak season, but the restaurant is quite large with plenty of tables, so turnover seemed fast.

The tables are arranged in long rows too, so it looked comfortable for family trips or group meals.

Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu opens at 7:30am, so it could also work as a breakfast spot on your first day or after checkout.

Right by the entrance, off to the side, there's also a space where you can bring your pet.

What I ordered and how much it cost

I ordered chodang sundubu and jjamppong seafood sundubu.

• Chodang sundubu (hot pot): ₩12,000
• Jjamppong seafood sundubu (hot pot): ₩17,000

Looking around, chodang sundubu was the most ordered dish at other tables — makes sense for the house specialty.

Squid jeotgal, japchae, and the self-serve banchan bar

The basic banchan (side dishes) at Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu come in a good variety and look clean overall.

The squid jeotgal (salted fermented squid) was especially delicious — they even sell it separately, so if it suits your taste, you could buy some to take home.

I personally love japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), so I was thrilled it was one of the basic banchan.

If you run low on banchan, you can freely grab more from the self-serve bar — so convenient, haha.

How the chodang sundubu tasted

True to a Sokcho sundubu favorite, the tofu was softly curdled but not too mushy, with just the right texture. It had a nutty, mild flavor that was easy to eat without feeling heavy, and the seasoning wasn't too strong, so I could really taste the sundubu itself.

If it tastes a bit bland to you, you can add a little of the soy sauce served alongside, but I found the base seasoning delicious enough on its own and didn't add any.

The seafood in the jjamppong seafood sundubu

My personal favorite was the jjamppong seafood sundubu. I don't usually eat sundubu often, but with this one I kept spooning up the broth.

It was loaded with abalone, shrimp, squid, scallops, and even crab, and the ingredients were fresh, making the broth taste really refreshing!

The spicy jjamppong-style broth paired surprisingly well with the mild, nutty sundubu — it was so good. The soft tofu also mellowed out the spiciness, making it easy and delicious to eat. I'll definitely order this again next time!

The sundubu itself is just so tasty that it's hard for anything on the menu to be bad. Depending on your preference, you can choose between the mild dishes and the spicy ones.

They also sell healthy snacks, which would be nice to grab for the road or to eat later at your accommodation.

In summary

If you're looking for a hearty meal on your Sokcho trip, I'd recommend Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu, a well-known Sokcho sundubu restaurant. It opens early in the morning, so it's great to stop by before starting your day's itinerary, and the spacious dining hall made it comfortable for families or groups. True to its reputation, the sundubu itself is so mild and tasty that pretty much everything on the menu is good. The jjamppong seafood sundubu was my favorite by far — if you like spicy food, I'd definitely recommend that one!